Domestic violence is more than physical abuse

  • Published
  • By By Capt. Joel Cartier
  • Kadena Family Advocacy Officer
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Domestic violence is one of the most prominent forms of violence in the world, according to The American Bar Association's Commission on Domestic Violence . . . it's also been identified as a significant problem here at Kadena. Kadena receives the highest amount of domestic violence referrals in PACAF with 114 adult maltreatment cases in the last fiscal year and 148 in FY09. Unfortunately, citing statistics will not keep anyone from being abused. Knowing how to identify the signs of abuse and then taking action can help reduce the violence.

While many think domestic abuse is limited to physical assaults, there are many tactics that abusers use, including: emotions, privilege, coercion/threats, intimidation, children and isolation to get their way.

Most abusive relationships contain combination of tactics. However, being able to recognize them does not do any good unless you are willing to do something about it. There are many ways to reduce the frequency of these kinds of acts.

First, if the offender is an Air Force member, call Kadena's Family Advocacy Clinic at 634-0433. If the offender is Navy or Marines, call Camp Foster's Counseling and Advocacy Clinic at 645-2915. If you do not feel comfortable giving your report to either of these two clinics, the 18th Security Forces law enforcement desk is able to take referrals as well and can be reached at 634-2475.

Many people hesitate to call because they do not want to be involved or fear that the offender might suspect them of reporting the behavior. One way to avoid this is to provide an anonymous referral. Despite the fact that the Family Advocacy Clinic or Law Enforcement desk staff will ask for your name and contact information, it is perfectly acceptable to state that you want to remain anonymous.

It is extremely important that suspected domestic violence be reported. It is extremely rare for unreported cases of domestic violence to improve. Therefore, it is our duty to be courageous and to show integrity by reporting such acts.